Monthly Archives: February 2014

UPDATE 16 June 2014: Based on this news from Gulf Times, the center has moved to Jaidah Square on Airport Road, specifically on Al Mansoura St Intersection located between C-Ring Road Intersection and B-Road Intersection on Airport Road. It’s about 800m northwest of the old center.

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I’ve just made a UK visa application (general visitor visa) this Feb. Here is the updated process.

UK Visa application is managed/ processed by a visa application center (VFS Global) in Doha, not by direct application to UK Embassy.

If you want to visit the UK as a tourist, for an example, or to stay with friends in the UK, you should apply to come to the UK as a general visitor (or as a child visitor if you are under 18).

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK. UKBA strongly advise not to confirm your travel arrangements until you have received your visa. To find out how long the visa processing time, visit this page

Information about you: a valid travel document or passport, one passport sized photograph (this must comply with photo guidance – can be found at the back of application form), evidence of your permission to be in the country (i.e. residence permit), previous passport if any (had been granted US Visa, Schengen Visa may speed up and increase probability of getting a visa), evidence of your current employment (i.e. a letter from employer, salary slips)

Information about your finances and employment: bank statement, bank letter or balance certificate, payslips, tax returns, evidence of income from property or land if any

You need to register an account first that will give you access to the Visa4UK system and online application forms.

It is suggested that your supporting documentation come handy to facilitate completing the application form online. Even better, print application form, fill it and complete on hard copy, and you just copy what you have written.

You will need to print out and sign your completed form. If you do not have access to a printer when you apply, you will be able to log in and print out the form later. When you have completed your online application, you will receive an email message containing your application number (also known as a ‘GWF reference’). Please make a note of this number.

From 6 February 2012 you can only pay the visa application fee online in US dollars by Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card. They cannot accept any other types of credit or debit cards. When your online payment has been taken, you will receive a confirmation email from their payment provider WorldPay. You must submit a printout of this email as proof of payment when you submit your application at the visa application center.

As indicative:

General/Business Visitor, Short Term Visit up to 6months, Single or Multiple Entry: USD136

General/Business Visitor , Longterm Visit up to 2 years, Single or Multiple Entry: USD473

6. Make an Appointment

Once you’ve done with completing and submitting visa application online, you need to book an appointment at visa processing center to submit visa application form and any supporting documentation. Submission timing is 08.00 – 15.00hrs and working days: Sunday – Thursday

If you are part of a family or group, each member of the family or group must make an individual appointment. For example, if you are a family of 4 with 2 adults and 2 children, you must make 4 individual appointments.

VFS Global is UK visa application center. I found out that they also provide services for Australian Visa application.

Please arrive at the Visa application center not earlier than 10 minutes before the given time.

Please remember to carry: your current and previous passport if any, a completed and signed online visa application form, the right specification of your photograph, supporting documentation based on the visa category, payment receipt (payment for additional services is only in cash at the visa application center).

Please note that sealed packages and all battery operated gadgets are not permitted such as cameras, mp3 players, laptops.

There are 6 desks to serve applicant with 2 biometric counters. An applicant aged above 5 years must come in person to complete their biometric which is a 10 digit finger scan and a digital photograph at the visa application center.

Once done, you will receive reference slip that can be used to track the status of your application.

8. Track Your Application

You can track your application on the VFS website http://www.vfs-uk.com.qa (under “Track Your Application” sidetab) using the reference number DOH/xxxxxx/xxxxxx/x, which is on your original receipt, and your date of birth.

The center offers sms tracking service (at 8 QAR) to track the application. You may inquire from them.

9. Collect passport

Once you check that your passport ready you may collect it from the center at 15:00-16:00hrs. Please check if your visa information is correct and your previous passport (if submitted) returned, before leaving the center.